New trailer serves halal - meat that satisfies Muslim standards

New trailer serves halal needs- meat that satisfies Muslim edicts

Robert West, left, and Jason Bones have opened the Chopped N Smoked BBQ trailer in Sugar Land. The meat served is halal, which is permissible for consumption according to Islamic law.

Robert West, left, and Jason Bones have opened the Chopped N Smoked BBQ trailer in Sugar Land. The meat served is halal, which is permissible for consumption according to Islamic law.

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Staff

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Robert West, left, and Jason Bones, right, have opened the Chopped N Smoked BBQ trailer in Sugar Land. The meat the serve is all halal which is permissible for consumption according to Islamic law. Friday, May 8, 2015, in Sugar Land. ( Marie D. De Jesus / Houston Chronicle ) less

Robert West, left, and Jason Bones, right, have opened the Chopped N Smoked BBQ trailer in Sugar Land. The meat the serve is all halal which is permissible for consumption according to Islamic law. Friday, May ... more

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Staff

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The halal brisket plate at the Chopped N Smoked BBQ Trailer

The halal brisket plate at the Chopped N Smoked BBQ Trailer

Photo: J.C. Reid

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Robert West, co-owner of Chopped n Smoked BBQ and a native Houstonian writes the menu of the day on the food truck. West is a convert to Islam, and the meat he and his business partner serve is halal meat. Friday, May 8, 2015, in Sugar Land. ( Marie D. De Jesus / Houston Chronicle ) less

Robert West, co-owner of Chopped n Smoked BBQ and a native Houstonian writes the menu of the day on the food truck. West is a convert to Islam, and the meat he and his business partner serve is halal meat. ... more

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Staff

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Jason Bones, co-owner of Chopped n Smoked BBQ, checks the process of a BBQ inside the food truck. The meat Bones and his business partner serve halal meat which means is permissible for consumption according to Islamic law. Friday, May 8, 2015, in Sugar Land. ( Marie D. De Jesus / Houston Chronicle ) less

Jason Bones, co-owner of Chopped n Smoked BBQ, checks the process of a BBQ inside the food truck. The meat Bones and his business partner serve halal meat which means is permissible for consumption according ... more

Robert West, co-owner of Chopped n Smoked BBQ and a native Houstonian. West is a convert to Islam, and the meat he and his business partner serve is halal meat. Friday, May 8, 2015, in Sugar Land. ( Marie D. De Jesus / Houston Chronicle ) less

Robert West, co-owner of Chopped n Smoked BBQ and a native Houstonian. West is a convert to Islam, and the meat he and his business partner serve is halal meat. Friday, May 8, 2015, in Sugar Land. ( Marie D. De ... more

Photo: Marie D. De Jesus, Staff

Image 8 of 16

Robert West, co-owner of Chopped n Smoked BBQ prepares the meal of the day inside the BBQ food truck located in Sugar Land. West is native Houstonian and a convert to Islam, and the meat he and his business partner serve is halal meat. Friday, May 8, 2015, in Sugar Land. ( Marie D. De Jesus / Houston Chronicle ) less

Robert West, co-owner of Chopped n Smoked BBQ prepares the meal of the day inside the BBQ food truck located in Sugar Land. West is native Houstonian and a convert to Islam, and the meat he and his business ... more

"Even though I was born in Houston, I never tried Texas barbecue because it wasn't halal," said Ali, a Muslim whose parents emigrated from Pakistan. "I'd spent my whole life listening to friends and coworkers say how great it is."

More Information

"Halal" roughly translates to "permitted" or "lawful" and refers to food produced in a ritual manner that satisfies Muslim edicts. Specifically, halal meat must come from a permitted animal (cows, sheep, goats) that is slaughtered in a humane way by an adult Muslim. Halal rules restrict the consumption of pork or blood. Halal-prepared food is similar to the kosher traditions of the Jewish faith.

The Chopped N Smoked barbecue trailer sits in the parking lot of a Citgo gas station on Texas 6 in northeastern Fort Bend County, the most ethnically diverse county in the most diverse metropolitan area in the nation.

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The culinary diversity in this area is obvious. Indian food trucks (Tandoori Nite, Bansuri) are prevalent in other Sugar Land parking lots, while mom-and-pop taquerias (Mr. Trompo!) have set up shop in old, repurposed Pizza Inn restaurants. Pakistani, Thai, Chinese and other world cuisines are well represented, too.

Chopped N Smoked is the new kid on the block, having just opened in March.

Why open a halal barbecue joint in Houston?

"There are generations of Muslim Houstonians who have never tasted Texas barbecue because it is not halal," West said. "We always talk about integrating the many groups of Houston. How can you do that when certain foods are restricted? Although we welcome all Houstonians, we specifically wanted to bring authentic Texas barbecue to the Muslim community."

It's important to note that halal barbecue tastes like other Texas barbecue, and West welcomes everyone to try it. Halal requirements don't necessarily affect the taste of the meat - they only guide the ritual manner in which the food is produced.

West grew up in the Klein area in a "relatively strict" Mormon family. He attended Klein Forest High School and went on to Loyola University in New Orleans on a music scholarship. When that didn't work out, he joined the Marines in 2000.

He was based in Okinawa, Japan, at the time of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. He was deployed to Kuwait and was part of the original invasion force into Iraq in 2003. When he was honorably discharged from the Marines in 2004, he returned to Houston.

West enrolled at University of Houston, earning a master's in biotechnology. While working at a local energy company, he met his future wife, Aliya Ahmed, a native Houstonian and practicing Muslim. Her parents had emigrated from India in the 1980s. West eventually converted to Islam.

During get-togethers with his wife's family and friends - often revolving around food - West would talk about Texas barbecue and how delicious it is. Many in this social group said they had never tried it. "Put up or shut up," they would tell him. Either make Texas barbecue for them or stop talking about it. That's when West started cooking halal chicken and beef at family events.

One of the guests at these get-togethers was Ahmed's longtime friend Jason Bones, whose family had emigrated from India when he was young. They are from a part of India that is mainly Christian, and he is Catholic.

That didn't stop him from going into business with West in the halal business. An anesthesia technician in his day job, he now co-owns Chopped N Smoked.

Because halal guidelines require that no food preparation surfaces or appliances have ever been in contact with restricted foods such as pork, West and Bones built their food trailer from the ground up with all new equipment. West built the attached barbecue pit himself, after studying principles of flow dynamics to ensure the proper flow of smoke and heat over the meat.

The two men originally sourced their halal meats from various places around Houston, but the supply was inconsistent. Now Phoenicia Specialty Foods meat department helps them secure a consistent supply of halal chicken, brisket and beef ribs.

Business is good, West said. They originally were open only Saturdays and Sundays, but they recently added Friday hours. Chopped N Smoked is open 3 to 10 p.m., but they often sell out before closing time.

Most of their customers are curious Muslims, young and old, who have never tried Texas barbecue, West said.